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Walter Harte
Walter Harte (1709 - March 1774) was an English poet and historian. He was a friend of Alexander Pope, Oxford don, and canon of Windsor. Life Harte was the son of the Rev. Walter Harte, a fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, prebendary of Wells, canon of Bristol, and vicar of St. Mary Magdalen, Taunton, Somerset, The son was educated at Marlborough Grammar School. In 1724 he matriculated at St. Mary Hall, Oxford, where he earned a B.A. in 1728 and an M.A. in 1731. On 27 Feb. 1737 he preached a sermon before the university of Oxford on 'The Union and Harmony of Reason, Morality, and Revealed Religion,' which excited great attention, and rapidly ran through five editions. Objection was raised to two passages as savouring of Socinianism, and Harte withdrew them. According to Elwin, Harte was at this time vicar of Gosfield in Essex.Hooper, 65. On 9 Jan. 1740 he again preached a sermon before the university on the general fast upon the approach of war. He was appointed vice-principal of St. Mary Hall, and attained great reputation as a tutor. In 1745, upon the recommendation of Mr. (afterwards Lord) Lyttelton, he was appointed travelling tutor to Mr. Stanhope, the natural son of the Earl of Chesterfield, to whom that nobleman addressed his well-known letters. Lord Chesterfield constantly writes in high terms of Harte. Lord Mahon (afterwards Earl Stanhope) says 'the choice Harte as tutor was not judicious, or at least not successful.... Mr. Harte's partiality to Greek and Latin, German law, and Gothic erudition rendered him rather remiss in other points. . . . Harte, long accustomed to college life, was too awkward both in his person and address to he able to familiarise the graces with his young pupil'.Maty, Life of Chesterfield. After four years' travel Harte returned to England, leaving his pupil in Paris. In 1750 he was appointed Canon of the third stall at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, a position he held until 1774.Fasti Wyndesorienses, May 1950. S.L. Ollard. Published by the Dean and Canons of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Friendship with Pope In 1727 Harte published by subscription Poems on several Occasions, London, printed for Bernard Lintot, 8vo. At p. 99 are some eulogistic lines to Pope, which are found prefixed to many editions of the poet's works, and a quotation from them among the testimonies of authors before the 'Dunciad.' Whether or not Pope knew Harte before the publication of the poems (from his subscribing for four copies it is presumed he did), it is certain that they subsequently became great friends. In 1730 appeared Harte's 'Essay on Satire, particularly the Dunciad' (inverse), 8vo. Pope, writing of it to Caryll, 6 Feb. 1731, says that it is "writ by Mr. Harte of Oxford, a very valuable young man, but it compliments me too much.' Mr. Elwin observes, 'the praise amounts to adulation." In 1735 Harte published anonymously an Essay on Reason, in folio. Pope writes to Caryll, 8 Feb. 1735: "There is another piece which I may venture to send you in a post or two, an Essay on Reason, of a serious kind, and the intention of which I think you will not disapprove." Elwin says: "It is said Pope revised it. It is a close but tame imitation of the Essay on Man." Harte in conversation said he had often pressed Pope to write something on the side of revelation, but he used to answer, 'No, no, you have already done it.' In December 1737 Pope writes to Holdsworth (author of the Latin poem 'Muscipula') that Harte had condescended to stand for the Oxford poetry professorship, and begs Holdsworth's interest in Harte's behalf. Whether Harte stood for the vacancy does not appear. At all events he was not elected. Samuel Johnson also knew Harte, and had kind words for his 1759 '' 'History of the Life of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, Sirnamed the Great'', London, two vols. 4to. (which Chesterfield called "execrable"). According to Boswell, Johnson much commended Harte as a scholar, and "a man of the most companionable talents he had ever known. He said the defects in his history proceeded not from imbecility, but from foppery." Last years In 1764 Harte published a volume of Essays on Husbandry, of which a second edition, corrected and enlarged, appeared in 1770 — a charming and valuable work. Johnson confessed that "his Harte's Husbandry is good," and Chesterfield praised its style.Letters, iv. 214. Arthur Young, in his Six Weeks' Tour through the Southern Counties, published in 1768, describes a visit to "my very excellent friend," Harte, at Bath. "His conversation,' Young says,'on the subject of husbandry is as full of experience and as truly solid as his genuine and native humour, extensive knowledge of mankind, and admirable philanthropy are pleasing and instructive."Hooper, 66. Harte had retired to Bath in low spirits and ill-health. During his lingering illness he prepared a volume entitled The Amaranth; or, Religious poems: Consisting of Fables, Visions, Emblems, &c., London, 1767, 8vo. The copy in the British Museum has Dr. Johnson's autograph. After languishing in a paralysed state Harte died at Bath in March 1774. Publications * Poems on several occasions (1727) * An essay on reason. ; 2nd ed. 1735 * An essay on satire, particularly on the Duncaid (1730) * Essays on husbandry. (1764) Poetry *''Poems on Several Occasions''. London: Bernard Lintot, 1727; London: John Cecil, 1739. *''An Essay on Satire: Particularly on the 'Dunciad'.'' London: Lawton Gilliver, 1730. *''An Epistle to Mr Pope: On reading his Iliad''. London: H. Whittridge, 1731. *''An Essay on Reason. London: J. Wright, for Lawton Gilliver, 1735. *''Part of Pindar's First Pythian ode, Paraphrased. London: 1749. *''The Amaranth; or, Religious poems. London: Robinson & Roberts / W. Frederick, Bath: 1767. *''The Poems (edited by Alexander Chalmers). London: Johnson, 1810. Non-fiction *''The Union and Harmony of Reason, Morality, and Revealed Religion: A sermon. Oxford, UK: printed at the Theatre, for L. Gilliver & J. Clarke, London, 1737. *[The Reasonableness and Advantage of National Humiliations upon the Approach of War: A sermon. Oxford, UK: printed at the Theatre, for R. Gosling & G. Hawkins, London, 1740. *''History of the life of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. London: J. Hinton / R. Baldwin / W. Johnston / et al, 1759. Volume I, Volume II *''Essays on Husbandry. London: W. Frederick / W. Johnston, 1764. ''Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:Walter Harte, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, July 7, 2016. See also *List of British poets References * . Wikisource, Web, July 5, 2016. Notes External links ;Poems *Rev. Walter Harte (1709-1774) info & 5 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;Books * * ;About * biography by Alexander Chalmers * Harte, Walter Category:1709 births Category:1774 deaths Category:British poets Category:Canons of Windsor Category:British male poets